Masters Of Science Fiction: The Complete Series

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All Rise...

Judge Clark Douglas welcomes our new alien leaders who may be reading this in the future.

The Charge

From the very beginning, we have struggled to understand time, matter and the
infinite universe; who we are, where we are headed, and if we are alone.

Opening Statement

"Who's watching the Watchbirds?"

Facts of the Case

Masters of Science-Fiction was a short-lived television program that
aired on ABC during the summer of 2007. The science-fiction anthology show is
hosted by the voice of Professor Stephen Hawking, who introduces a new story
each week, each created by a different director and featuring a different cast.
The six episodes are spread across two discs, as follows:

Disc One "A Clean Escape": A powerful businessman
(Sam Waterston, The Killing Fields) is told by a psychiatrist (Judy
Davis, The Ref) that he is living the same day over and over again in the
post-apocalyptic future. Is this true, or is the businessman simply being abused
as part of an elaborate scheme? Based on the story by John Kessel, directed by
Mark Rydell. Grade: B

"The Awakening": Strange alien objects start arriving on Earth,
and people begin to react in a particularly strange manner. The aliens intend to
disarm the planet and remove the possibility of nuclear war. The U.S. government
is suspicious and thinks the aliens may be planning their own attack. A
paranormal expert (Terry O'Quinn, Lost) is forced to investigate and must
determine the true intention of the aliens before it's too late. Based on the
story by Howard Fast, directed by Michael Petroni. Grade: B-

"Jerry Was a Man": An extraordinarily wealthy woman (Anne Heche,
Six Days, Seven Nights) is determined to buy
herself a new genetic toy. Her friend has a six-legged dachshund, and she wants
something even more impressive. While at the manufacturing plant, she determines
that she wants a Joe, a human-like slave crafted from mechanical parts and human
DNA. The creator (Malcolm McDowell, A Clockwork Orange) immediately
regrets agreeing to this when the woman determines to prove in a court of law
that the Joe is actually a human being. Based on the story by Robert Heinlein,
directed by Michael Tolkin. Grade: A

Disc Two

"The Discarded": A group of humans suffering from terrible
mutations is floating through space in a lonely ship, having been discarded by a
group of human beings who couldn't bear to look at them. Thirty-seven years
after leaving Earth, they are approached by a government ambassador who claims
he can help them. The captain of the ship (Brian Dennehy, As You Like It) is skeptical, but his
right-hand man (John Hurt, Indiana
Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull) thinks there may be light at the
end of the tunnel. Based on the story by Harlan Ellison, directed by Jonathan
Frakes. Grade: A

"Little Brother": A man (Clifton Collins Jr., Capote) who has been forced to live
underground his entire life determines to make an escape to the surface. Very
shortly after succeeding in his escape attempt, he has a conflict with some
police officers, which ultimately leaves several people dead. The man is put on
trial for his life, with a computer fueled by the memories of dead human beings
serving as judge, jury, and potential executioner. Can he prove his innocence to
the ghosts in the machine? Based on the story by Walter Mosley, directed by
Darnell Martin. Grade: B

"Watchbird": A scientist (Sean Astin, Rudy) has created a powerful defense weapon
for the military called a Watchbird, a mechanical bird of sorts that protects
soldiers on the battlefield. The weapon is such a huge success that the
government is eager to expand the use of the Watchbird program. The owner of the
science lab (James Cromwell, The Sum of
All Fears) is eager to proceed, but the creator of the program has his
doubts. The birds weren't designed for domestic uses…employing them could
cause some serious consequences. Based on the story by Robert Sheckley, directed
by Harold Becker.Grade: A-

The Evidence

I hate what happened to ABC's Masters of Science Fiction. Six episodes
of the show were produced, and the idea was that the program would follow a
format similar to Showtime's Masters of Horror. However, the network
determined that the show was "very uneven" and "a bit too
problematic" for their audiences. They cut the six-episode run down to four
episodes, pushed the air dates to Saturday nights in August, and left the poor
little anthology series alone to die quietly in a television dead zone. It never
had a chance to succeed.

The thing is, Masters of Science Fiction isn't particularly uneven or
problematic. Most episodes aren't any harder to follow than the average episode
of The Twilight Zone. What we have here are six well-crafted, well-acted
episodes based on intelligent and engaging sci-fi short stories. This is
excellent stuff, better than almost any dramatic show on network television at
the moment. Had it been marketed properly by ABC, it could have turned into a
long-running high point of their lineup, standing right next to their equally
ambitious Pushing Daisies. That didn't happen, but at least these six
episodes have been preserved on DVD. They are well worth checking out.

There isn't a genuinely bad episode in the bunch, just good episodes and
great episodes. I particularly love "The Discarded," an incredibly
lonely and sad little story about a group of mutants in space. There are some
wonderful conversation scenes between John Hurt and Brian Dennehy, both very
fine actors. Director Jonathan Frakes manages to provide a heartbroken sense of
bitter atmosphere, beautifully accentuated by a noirish score from composer John
Frizzell. It's simultaneously tender and brutally unsentimental, undoubtedly
helped by the fact that author Harlan Ellison co-wrote the television
script.

I was also impressed by the adaptation of Robert Heinlein's "Jerry Was
a Man," a wickedly subversive little tale that hasn't got a single
sympathetic character in the entire script. It's all played with a sense of
over-the-top loopiness by the actors, and achieves the challenging feat of
finding a role just right for Anne Heche. Malcolm McDowell has tons of fun
chewing on the scenery in a few key scenes, too. The story reaches a conclusion
that puts a new spin on Capra-esque courtroom finales. Some may be annoyed by
the aggressively odd tone of this story, but it's undoubtedly unforgettable. It
reminded me just a little of Terry Gilliam's masterpiece Brazil, though obviously it lacks the
budget to create a world as visually complex as that one.

"Watchbird" is another terrific episode. I have no idea why they
chose not to air this one, but it's a real winner. Sean Astin and James Cromwell
give terrific performances as two men engaging in a genuinely thought-provoking
ethical debate about the subject of national security. Considering all the
personal freedoms that have been compromised in the wake of 9/11 in the name of
"national security," this episode feels particularly relevant. This
one probably would have worked best as a feature film, considering the amount of
ground it has to cover. Still, it does everything it can within its 44-minute
running time and ranks as genuinely gripping stuff.

Though the rest don't quite hit that level of brilliance, they're certainly
worthwhile outings. "A Clean Escape" feels more like a stage play than
a television episode, but it works thanks to the very solid performances of Judy
Davis and Sam Waterson, who engage in what essentially amounts to a 40-minute
verbal duel. "Little Brother" is a fine futuristic sci-fi courtroom
drama of sorts, only falling a wee bit short at the end, when it became a bit
too convoluted for my liking. My least favorite is probably "The
Awakening," which is a bit on the hokey side (it makes most Spielberg alien
movies seem cynical). Still, it boasts strong craftsmanship all around.

As for Professor Hawking's participation, it's very limited. We never
actually see him, we only hear his mechanically-aided voice offering up a few
philosophical sentences. He really doesn't contribute a lot, but even his vocal
presence does manage to add a welcome air of respectability to the show. The DVD
transfers are fine, nothing special, but perfectly acceptable. The same applies
to the sound, which conveys the dialogue, music and sound effects in a manner
that is adequate, but little more. There are no extras of any sort included in
the set, which is disappointing.

Closing Statement

Shame on ABC for mistreating this classy anthology program. Even with a
complete lack of extras, this DVD set is worth a purchase. Rent the show at the
very least; you won't regret it.

The Verdict

Not guilty

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